Each Sunday during worship, we read or hear stories and lessons from the most famous book in the world, the Bible. It is a book on which we base our faith as Christians but what is it really saying, and what does that mean for us now in 2021? What is the rest of the story?

These questions, and more, are explored each week during Education for Ministry (EfM) at St. Mary Anne’s.

The program encompasses the Old Testament and parts of the Bible that are unfamiliar; the New Testament; St. Paul’s letters (What is Paul trying to say in the Epistles?); Church History (How did we go from the 12 Apostles to the Episcopal Church?); and Ethics (So how does this affect my life?)

Each week we begin in prayer; discuss the suggested readings, reflect on how our tradition both biblical and historical is important for us today, eat wonderful snacks, and enjoy a special community of people.

This year EfM will be a hybrid program with Zoom connections for those who are in other parishes and simultaneous in-person meetings at St. Mary Anne’s Vestry House. EfM at St. Mary Anne’s begins on September 13, 2021 and meets on Monday evenings (6:30-8:30PM).

If you are interested or want more information on the EfM , please feel free to email or call Carol Weisel (weisel1@gmail.com)

We will be starting a Sacred Ground Dialogue Study Group in February. Sacred Ground is a film- and readings-based dialogue series on race, grounded in faith. Small groups walk through chapters of America’s history of race and racism, while weaving in threads of family story, economic class, and political and regional identity. It focuses on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian American histories as they intersect with European American histories. Please check it out online at  https://episcopalchurch.org/sacred-ground. If you are interested or have questions please contact Janice Flood jmflood45@gmail.com.